The present invention relates to nanofluidic chips, and more specifically, to integrated nanofluidic arrays for high capacity colloid separation.
Nanofluidics is the study of the behavior, manipulation, and control of fluids that are confined to structures of nanometer (typically 1-100 nanometers (nm)) characteristic dimensions. Fluids confined in these nanometer structures exhibit physical behaviors not observed in larger structures, such as those of micrometer dimensions and above, because the characteristic physical scaling lengths of the fluid (e.g., Debye length, hydrodynamic radius) very closely coincide with the dimensions of the nanostructure itself. In nanofluidics, fluids are moved, mixed, separated, or otherwise processed. Numerous applications employ passive fluid control techniques like capillary forces. In some applications external actuation means are additionally used for a directed transport of the fluids.